Machine for forming articles



March 1l, 1930. A Q HQQVER y MACHINE FOR FORMING ARTICLES vFiled March 28, 1929 2 sheets-sheet 1 March 11, 1939. A, c, HOOVER l 1,750,471

MACHINE FOR FORMING ARTICLES Filed March 28, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sgr/2 33) pm. ff'

Patented Mar. 11, 1930 PATENT OFFICE N ALAN C. HOOVER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS MACHINE l FOR FORMING ARTICLES Application led March 28, 1929. Serial No. 350,482.

i else by the punch and die method and then to perfect it by hand after assembly; in either case involving considerable time and labor and becoming expensive for such small articles, and still not imparting the complete .15 and accurate circular form as required.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a machine for imparting an accurate and complete circular form orl curvature to a rotary contact element of an electric switch and to similar elements or articles,

without any aid from the usual manual method or the punch and die method. Another object is to provide such a machineV having means for guiding the element and for advane-ing and curving it, and adjustable means to provide for different degrees of curvature and to compensate for different thicknesses of the elements. A further object is to provide such an element curving or forming machine which is simple and sturdy in construc# tion, economical in manufacture, and is readily operated or speedily forming the element.

These and other objects and advantages are attained with this invention, aswill become apparent from the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of my novel machine.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section on slanting line Fig. 5 is a vertical section on line 5-*5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an elevation ofan element in its unbent form.

Fig. 7 isan elevation of said element after the circular form has been' imparted thereto 'by my machine.

Fig. 8 is an inverted plan view of said element.

The drawings illustrate an embodiment of my invention in its preferred form of construction, comprising a frame 10 having lower supporting flanges 11, and atop plate or head plate 12 removably mounted on its upper end, as with screws 13.

The machine illustrated herein is shown as arranged for imparting circular form or curvature to a rotarycontact element 14 ot an electric switch; and the means shown herein or guiding this switch element during the curving operation comprises the head plate 12 which has a guide channel or furrow 15 provided in its front part, and a guide plate 16 which has a straight lower tace for providing, with said channel 15 in plate 12, a right-line guide channel or straight guide means, to guide the element 14 which is originally straight, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

Since this particular switch element 14 has fingers or lipsY 17 extending downwardly and outwardly from its ends, the guide means is provided with grooves, preferably with grooves 18 extending longitudinally otchannel 15 in plate 12, to accommodate said lingers; and this plate 12 is replaceable by a suitably grooved one, if necessary, Jlor guiding a different shaped element. Guide plate 16 is adjustably mounted on plate 12, as by screws 19 and slots 20 provided in plate 16 wherein said screws adjustably engage, so that said plate may be adjusted in accordance with the particular degree of curvature or selected form desired to be imparted to the element.

Means is provided for advancing or draw- 90 ing the element or article through the guide means and for imparting the selected form or curvature thereto, and this means preferably comprises a pair ot' adjoining rotary members for clamping the element therebe- 95 tween and advancing and shaping it. These members are preferably made in the form of a pair of rollers 21 and l22 which have their cylindrical surfaces substantially contacting and are mounted to have the line of contact extend cross-wise of the guide channel, and slightly forward and downward of the lower front end 24 of plate 16 and its guide face. Rollers 21 and 22 are provided with intermeshing gears 25 and 26 to rotate in unison; and in the illustrated machine this roller22 is provided with grooves 22 corresponding .with groove i8 in ,plat-e l2, to accommodate lingers 17 on this type of element 14.

Means is provided for supporting the rollers 21 and 22, and means for adjusting the supporting means and rollers, in conjunction with the adjusting of theguideplate 16, for the purpose of imparting to the elements the particular' degree of curvature or circular form desired. This supporting imeans preferably comprises an inner or upper supporting member or yoke 2T, and an outer or lower supporting member or yoke 28 .having its upstanding yoke arms engaging in grooves 29 `provided on the outside of Athe upstanding arms of yoke 2T. A shaft 31 extends through inner yoke V27 and has the roller 21 and the attached gear 25 rotatably mounted thereon, as with a Abushing or bearing 30. A drive shaft 32, which is driven by any suitable power supplying means, extends through bearings 33 provided in the upper part of frame 10, extending further through the arms of outer yoke 28, through enlarged openings 34 in the arms of the inner yoke `2T, and through roller 22 and attached gear 2G. Said shaft is fastened Ato roller 22, as .with a set screw 35, for driving the rollers.

The means for adjusting and ,holding the supporting means or yokes 27 and 28 with their rollers 21 and 22 in the proper positions, comprises a bolt 36 secured to the outer yoke 28 and movable in a curved slot 37 provided in the side of frame 10, for swinging the yokes and their rollers upon drive shaft as a pivot. A nut 88 on the outer end of the bolt is then tightened, after the yokes and rollers have been .set in the proper position, to retain them therein for imparting the desired degree of curvature or circular form to the particular element.

Means is also provided for compensating for differences in the thickness of the elementsor articles to be curved, and said means preferably .comprises a bolt or shaft l0 mounted in the inner yoke 27 and extending slidably through the outer yoke 28, also a spring 41 mounted on said bolt .outside of yoke 28 and a nut 42 adjustable on the lower end `of said bolt to adjust the tension of said spring, for resiliently and adjustably urging and holding the rollers close together or in contact.

It should be observed that yoke `2'? has a slidable movement in yoke 28, permitted by grooves 29 and enlarged openings 34 in the arms of voke v27; and that by the proper adjust-ing of nut 42, the spring 41 with bolt 40 will firmly but resiliently hold the upper roller 21 close to the lower roller 22, to clasp and advance the element 14 therebetween, and also to compensate for any irregularities in the thickness on any element and for the differences in the thicknesses of the various elements.

-ltshould also be observedthatthe shafts 3 1 and 32 and the rollers 21 and 22 are mounted so that their axes extend cross-wise of the guideplate 1b' and guide channel thereunder; and that a plane passed through said axes will be at an angle with a vertical line and adjacent `the frontend 24- of plate 16; these rollers being thereby so positioned that said frontend vof `plate 16 is at oimacljacenththe `uppermost line or part :c of the lower roller 22, being spaced or separated thereabove only by the th'ckness of element 14, and the line g/ `of closest junction or contact between the rollers being lower and forward of said ,uppermost line x; whereby the curvature or circular form is imparted to the element during its movement from said line to line y,

,over the curved upper portion of the lower roller 22. It is also apparent that by operating nut 38 and bolt 36 and adjusting the supporting yokes thereby, so that the [upper roller 21 is placed further forward; that the junction line jf/ between the rollers is placed further downward and away from'the top line a2 on the lower roller; and that thereby a more prolonged bending action is lexerted upon `the element and a greater degree ofcurvature or more contracted circular form is imparted thereto. It is further apparent that by adjusting guide plate 1G further backward, and by adjusting the upper roller I21 further backward and upward, so that .the plane passing through the axes of the `rol-lers is nearly vertical, a very slight bendingfeffeet and degree of curvature or circular formican be imparted to the element. l

Although the preferred form of my invention only is disclosed herein, I do not pur pose limiting the patent granted thereon, eX- cept as necessitated by the prior art.

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine for imparting circular form to an element, comprising means for guid ing the element, .supporting means having rollers therein for advancing and curving the element, and spring actuated means for adjusting and moving one of said rollers and its supporting means with respect to the `other roller and itssupporting means to 4compensate for various thicknesses of the elements.

2. A machine having a removable head plate and a guide plate adjustably mounted vthereon and providing therewith a Aguide channel for guiding an element, supporting means having shafts with rollers thereon which substantially contact for drawing said element from said channel, a plane through the axes of said shafts forming an angle with a plane through said channel, and means for adjusting said supporting means and rollers to vary said angle, for imparting various degrees of curvature to the elements.

3. A machine comprising a head plate having a guide plate adjustablyl mounted thereon and providing therewith a guide channel for guiding an element, rollers and supporting means therefor mounted at the front of said plates and channel, one of said rollers being positioned closely beneath the front end of said guide plate and the other roller being positioned forwardly and upwardly of said plate end, and means for adjusting said rollers with their supporting means and said guide plate, for varying the degree of curvature imparted to the element by its travel from said channel and between said rollers.

4. A machine comprising plate means for guiding an element, a supporting yoke having a drive shaft and a roller therein, a second supporting yoke having a shaft and roller therein and being therewith movable on the first yoke, means for adjustably and resiliently holding the rollers in contact, and means for adj ustably holding said yokes and rollers in position to have the lower roller closely beneath the end of the said plate means and to have the other roller forwardly and upwardly of said end, for imparting circular form to the element and to vary said form.

5. A machine comprising plate means providing a guide channel having grooves therein, a yoke with a drive shaft and a roller, an inner yoke carrying a shaft and an upper roller, there being grooves on one of said rollers to correspond to the grooves in said channel to accommodate offset fingers on an element to be curved in said machine, said plate means being removable and replaceable to suit the shape ofl the element, and means for adjustably holding said rollers for drawing the element from the channel and imparting a complete circular form thereto.

In testimony whereoi` I have signed my name to this specication.

ALAN C. HOOVER. 

